Strategic, not commercial: Govt rebuts criticism of Great Nicobar Project

The Centre's clarification comes weeks after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited Great Nicobar Island and echoed concerns raised by environmentalists, who have warned that the project could endanger the region's unique wildlife and marine ecosystem.

In Short

• Project is strategically important for India, say defence sources
• Sources say that 81% of island to remain forested even after project
• No tribal displacement to take place, reiterates government sources

The Centre has pushed back against concerns raised by environmental activists over the 81,000 crore Great Nicobar Project, with top Defence Ministry sources describing criticism of the project as stemming from a “lack of geographical understanding." They also asserted that the project is driven by strategic imperatives that would serve India's long-term goals.

The Centre’s clarification comes weeks after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited Great Nicobar Island and echoed concerns raised by environmentalists, who have warned that the project could endanger the region’s unique wildlife and marine ecosystem.

The planned project is located barely 40 km from the Six Degree Channel and close to the Malacca Strait, one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints. “This is not a commercial real estate project. It is a strategic national project aimed at strengthening India’s presence in the eastern Indian Ocean,” sources said.

DEFENCE MINISTRY DEFENDS PROJECT

Defence officials told India Today TV that the project is not limited to military infrastructure but also includes the development of assets such as airports, power plants, logistics hubs, townships, and maritime infrastructure to sustain a permanent presence.

They argued that Great Nicobar should have been developed much earlier, adding that the project will strengthen national security, reduce dependence on foreign transshipment hubs, and create over one lakh jobs in the region.

The planned greenfield airport under Navy control would significantly enhance India’s maritime surveillance, operational reach, logistics support, and disaster response capabilities, defence officials said.

They also countered demands to simply expand INS Baaz, stating that multiple sites were examined and that a greenfield airport at Galathea Bay was found to be less environmentally damaging and more suitable for future expansion.

“Expanding INS Baaz would have required extensive hill cutting, dredging, and land reclamation,” Defence sources said, adding that such an expansion could have caused greater ecological disruption than the proposed project.

‘NO DAMAGE TO ENVIRONMENT’

Officials pointed out that over 81 per cent of Great Nicobar Island would remain under forests, national parks, biosphere reserves, and tribal conservation areas.

They further highlighted that only 166 sq km has been earmarked for development, and that more than half of the diverted forest area would continue to remain green, with no tree felling planned in those portions.

Defence Ministry sources also said a 2,200-crore conservation programme, spread over 30 years, has been built into the project to protect wildlife, coral reefs, mangroves, leatherback turtles, and other vulnerable species.

They reiterated that there would be no physical displacement of tribal communities and claimed that the notified tribal reserve area would see a net increase after fresh notifications.

Sources further argued that the project has already undergone environmental scrutiny and noted that the National Green Tribunal did not interfere with the environmental clearances granted to it.

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